Convertam, Convertam
by Amara25
Summary: Almost two decades after the war, Lucius Malfoy is released from prison. His first act? To cast terrible spell that takes him, the Potter boy and the Granger girl back in time. Harry and Hermione find themselves fifteen and back at Grimmauld Place with the Order of the Phoenix. Can they defeat the Dark Lord when his new right hand man Lucius has the same knowledge of the future?
1. Chapter 1

_I wrote this because I really needed some good, canon compliant time travel._

The day began like it had for the past thirteen years. Harry and Ginny Potter woke, dressed, breakfasted, dropped off a child ( Lily this time) at her Muggle primary, and went to work. Ginny, to interview the new Seeker for the HolyHead Harpies and Harry for a routine check on long-term Death Eater prisoners.

As Harry arrived at the Ministry, he was amused to see his favourite sight: the bickering Weasleys. He laughed and clasped his best friends by their shoulders.

"It's your love language isn't it?" This earned him a well placed glare from Hermione Granger –Weasley, and a chuckle from her husband, Ron.

"She's having one of her mental turns, mate", said Ron with a wink. He kissed the frown on his wife's face and Apparated away to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. After considering a career as an Auror, Ron felt that he had had enough Dark Wizard fighting for a lifetime, and so went in to business with George. This had been a grace all of itself, as George had not been able to fully participate in life for about a year after Fred's death. Together, he and Ron had built Wheezes into a multi-chain concern, with branches all over the United Kingdom, and even one in France.

After Ron left, Harry turned an inquiring eyebrow towards Hermione. "Oh it's not important, he wants to teach Hugo how to fly, but I really think he's too young."

"He's six , Hermione."

"And he's petrified when he gets on the broom. Rose was a natural on a broom. Hugo needs more time. If his father wasn't so Quidditch mad…."

"Hermione, there's no getting away from it. Ginny has to whack me on the head each time I dream of James as star Chaser for the Chudley Cannons."

"Well, I'll thank you for keeping your ideas from Ron until _we've_ made up our minds. We don't need a rerun of the Dominic incident."

Harry laughed to remember how Bill, spurred on by his brothers and brother in law, had shown his son the Wronski Feint, at the tender age of ten. The boy had crashed spectacularly, and Fleur had almost singed Bill's eyebrows off in her rage.

"Your row is safe with me. Also, why are you following me?" Harry asked as they entered his office.

"I'm going with you today. Hello, Demelza.", Hermione nodded at the waiting witch from the Department of Magical Transportation.

"Here's the special Portkey for The Holding. It's timed to bring you back in three hours.", said Demelza briskly. She handed an old shoe to Harry and sped out of the office.

"Still not over that rejection during our sixth year, then?", said Hermione with a sigh.

Harry silently handed over the shoe. He was continually embarrassed by the events of his sixth year at Hogwarts.

A tug on their navels later, the Auror and the Lawyer found themselves on the smoothly manicured lawn of a large Edwardian manor. Inmates in clean, pale blue robes followed a course of Tai-Chi with an instructor, and others sat in a circle round an old wizard in deep blue robes, reading together. After the war, Azkaban was restructured and became the prison for hardened criminals, those convicted of the most brutal crimes. The Holding was given over to minor criminals, those who were ready for rehabilitation, and miscreants of junior or very senior age.

Nodding at the Tai-Chi instructor, Harry gestured for Hermione to accompany him up the garden path.

"So you have not yet told me why you've come with me today."

"Marbella Walser has filed another petition on behalf of her son, Cepheus."

"Doesn't she do that every year? She's half-Black and I had to give her access to some of the Black vaults for the case she made last year."

"Yes, she's found some other arcanae of juvenile law that might press his case."

"He's thirty-seven now."

"But he was sixteen and five months when he took the mark. Sixteen and six months when he assisted Dolohov in the rape and murder of a Muggle girl. Seventeen and three months when the war ended."

"So he was of age at prosecution."

"But not at the time of the crime. It is a little complicated. A long sentence at The Holding was the best compromise as far as we were concerned, or he would be in Azkaban on life. Marbella is using the case of Draco as her ammunition."

"Draco was repentant. He showed remorse. He had to spend a year in Azkaban and has his wand checked every year. But you work on minority rights, why have you been brought in?"

"I am known as a champion of the underdog. Addington has said that if I interview Cepheus and can see a way to take the case, then he will open up proceedings."

"Hermione Granger, the litmus test for mercy."

"Shut up, Harry Potter, The Boy-Who-Campaigned-For-Clemency-for-Narcissa."

They had, by now, reached the long corridor that contained a series of interrogation rooms. Hermione showed her badge to the security wizard and slipped into the first room. Harry, after a quick check in with the wizard- they'd been Auror trainees together- opened the door into the second room.

It contained a thinner and greyer Lucius Malfoy. Ten years in Azkaban and nine years in The Holding had still not taken away that wizard's hauteur. Malfoy looked at Harry as if he was something the cat wouldn't even drag in.

"I wouldn't look at me like that, Malfoy. Glad tidings of great joy I bring."

"What could that possibly be, Potter? The last time an Auror gave me good news I was brought here. I spent the entirety of this week planting beans. Without a wand."

"They say it'll put hairs on your chest." Harry smiled and put a sheet of parchment on the table. He sat down and conjured a small, long, box.

"Well, Lucius, old boy. You've been such a marvelous prisoner these last few years, and the case file on you in the last war has actually been unable to pinpoint any actual murders. it is a large case file, but it would seem, after expert and relentless examination, that there were times when your heart really wasn't in it. Oh you are guilty of treason, trespass, kidnapping and of serious psychological harm, but no actual death. Neither did you seem to kill anyone in the first war. It's very curious. Did you not completely agree with your Master, or was killing the unworthy too dirty a task?"

"Stop playing with me, Potter. Why are you here?"

"After due consideration, and agreement with your family, we have decided to release you. You are released on the following conditions: that you will leave the country within three months, that you will submit to having your wand checked every six months that you will have no direct access to monetary funds, and that you agree to have a tracking charm placed on you that will be monitored by the British Auror's office."

Malfoy made a dismissive noise.

"Is that assent, Malfoy?"

Malfoy inclined his head.

With a wave of his wand, Harry raised the parchment up to stand between the two of them. From one of the boxes, he summoned a quill. Malfoy signed the contract.

Twenty minutes later, Malfoy, now dressed in old black robes, was escorted out of the building by Harry and Hermione. His wrists were still adorned in the brass bracelets that restricted his magic. Harry looked at him with compassion. "We'll have those off once we get to the Ministry. An official will be on hand with your wand…and your son."

Malfoy did not react.

Harry activated the Portkey, taking the three of them back to the Ministry. Waiting there, silent and apprehensive, and closely watched over by two Aurors, was Draco Malfoy. His face visibly tightened at the sight of the new arrivals and only nodded his head at Harry and Hermione before saying, curtly, "Father."

Malfoy senior barely glanced at him. He looked at Harry expectantly. Smythe and Whippet, the two Aurors waited for Harry's signal before conjuring a table, a sheaf of parchments and a long thin box.

"Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, you are now released into society, barring conditions laid out in subsection B of the Bones ordinance. I, Harry James Potter, Senior Auror, release you into the custody of your son Draco Orion Malfoy, who has signed as your guarantor. Please place your hands palm down upon the table."

Moving his wand in a complex geometric pattern, Harry silently intoned the incantation that would remove the brass bracelets. A click sounded, and Malfoy raised his hands up, rubbing his wrists slowly. He looked a little close to tears. Smythe moved forward, had Draco sign a series of parchments, and then handed Malfoy his wand.

The thick black wood emitted a series of celebratory sparks when it came into contact with its owner.

"We are expected at the Manor, Father, we should leave. Potter, Granger.", said Draco.

"I hope you enjoyed our stay at Chez Holding.", said Harry, more to annoy Draco than Lucius.

"Years of imprisonment are wonderful for academic study. So many things that one can learn. So many ancient practices."

Harry raised his eyebrows at such a long speech from the newly released prisoner. Hermione looked wary. "Smythe, Whippet, escort them out, quickly."

The Malfoys made to leave and Harry breathed a quick sign of relief. Then, suddenly, and without warning, Malfoy senior whipped around, his wand emitting a dense, grey smoke, his eyes flashing fire. Whippet, Smythe and Draco both fell down, coughing, and Harry felt himself, unwillingly, trapped within the smoke.

He felt dizzy and disoriented. He felt his wand rising to connect with the cloud, Hermione grabbing him in concern, and heard the words _"…_ _et convertam convertam: ad ultimum."_

…

Harry opened his eyes and immediately fell over. A wave of laughter greeted him.

"Harry, mate, is Ron's breath so bad? Has ickle Ronniekins not brushed his teeth? No wonder he can't get a girl."

"I think we might have a cure for that, whaddaya say Gred?"

"I've got six cures right here in my pocket, Forge. Come here, Ronnie boy."

"Piss off, both of you."

Harry stood up, staring in amazement…at his fifteen year old best friend. He looked down, at his sneakers and jeans, and up again at the seventeen year old twins. Both of them.

"Oh my God."

"You would think I am a God, mate, it's the Weasley handsome-ness that makes you think so.", laughed Fred, throwing a chocolate frog at Ron.

"Sorry, chaps. Think I lost myself there for a minute. Where are we?"

"In Sirius' mental house. You just passed your hearing at the Ministry?"

 _The hearing. Grimmauld Place. Sirius._ Harry's head started to spin.

"If you lot are ready, so's dinner. Come on, then, conquering hero.", said a quiet, laughing voice. Harry could barely allow himself to look but, with tears in his eyes, he turned to see his godfather.

"All right, Harry? I know, it's been a stressful day, but I've got a case of butterbeer with your name on it."

"I'm fine, fine. Let's go down."

 _To a Ginny who doesn't quite love me yet, to Remus and Tonks, alive._

They descended the staircase, with the twins singing "He got off, yeah he got off, yeah, Harry Potter, he got off" to the tune of La Cucaracha.

As they entered the room, Harry felt a quick twinge of irritation, one he hadn't felt in nineteen years. _And I'm still a dirty bloody Horcrux. Why has Malfoy sent me here? Unless… this was the year he was the most powerful Death Eater. Is he back too? Oh Merlin._

He raised his eyes to look at all assembled, only to meet Hermione's furious, tear stained glare. A few seconds were all it took for Harry to realise that Hermione was also a "returnee." She was mouthing something. Harry ignored it and turned to Sirius, giving him a quick, fierce hug.

"I'm happy for you too, mate."

"After the party, Sirius, I need to do something. Hermione and I need to talk to you, and Dumbledore and Lupin."

"Course, we'll put in a firecall."

"No, we need to go to Hogwarts. I'm not who you think I am."


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello all, thanks for reading and following. And HNY. I think in terms of canon compliancy, the best I can say is that the future that was is canon compliant. Obviously certain things will change. Plotting might be a bit haphazard with the first few chapters, but please stay with me. Writing on work breaks!_

Deep in the bowels of a lonely old mansion, the Dark Lord sits, meditating. A few weeks ago, he had felt, just in the corner of his mind, a presence. Oddly, he could not quite separate his own self from the presence, they felt one and the same. He thought, perhaps, that it was Nagini, but he could isolate the part of him that _was_ Nagini. She glowed bright and silvery green in the recesses of his mind. Who was this strange but yet familiar presence? Inhaling deeply, he probed further, but the presence was gone. Irritation shot through him, and there, like a spark of sudden flame, he felt the presence again. Holding on to his momentary irritation, he chased after the feeling, hoping it would lead him to the identity of the presence. Suddenly, a wall slammed against him. The presence pushed back, and left. _At least, the game I play is with an accomplished mind artisan,_ thought the Dark Lord satisfactorily. He opened red eyes, now alight with the hunt for a new adversary, someone to keep him occupied till his plan were more complete. He smiled and called Nagini to him.

"My love, how quickly the world revolves for me. How close we will soon become to our goals. Pity. It might almost be too easy. The old fool continues to have hope for me. He is blinded by affection."

Standing, he glided towards the window. As he went, he crushed a piece of parchment between its fingers, ripping through the words, _Tom, I beg of you. Repent, feel remorse. You have been granted a second chance, why not use your gifts for the light? Repent, my boy, or you will have so many regrets. Your teacher, Dumbledore._

Riddle snorted disparagingly to think of the letter. _What is there to feel of repentance, of remorse? Exterminating is a clearing, a necessary tidying of the mess that has been made of the wizarding world by those who sought to make our world filthy and lesser than muggles. We, wizards, living in hiding, when it is we who have the power of the ancients! Bound by such submission. Fools like Dumbledore are so disgusting with their muggle loving mania. Where does muggle loving get you? Depressed and destitute like my filthy mother, birthing her child like a muggle animal."_

He shivered slightly to think of the muggle blood that ran through his veins. So deep was the loathing he felt, that he almost sent an exploding hex at Wormtail when he knocked on the door.

"My Lord…. Malfoy has requested an audience."

Riddle waved a nonchalant hand. "Let him through."

A flash of green flame could be seen in the adjacent room. Lucius Malfoy strode in, moments later, and lay himself down prostrate on the floor.

"My Lord, I seek a private word."

"It is granted, leave us Wormtail. Why do you disturb me Lucius, have you made any headway with the Ministry? I trust not, for sending Dementors after Potter seems like the kind of clumsy strategizing that comes from a civil servant, and certainly not from one such as you."

"Indeed, the Ministry is not within our grasp yet, Master. I do, however, have some intelligence on the matter of the Prophecy. More useful, however, might be the knowledge I possess now."

"And what would this be?"

"My Lord, will you not look inside my memories?"

"A curious thing to say, Lucius."

Lucius raised his head and, for the first time in their long association, held his Master's gaze. The force of Riddle's _legilimens_ almost knocked him off his feet, but he stood strong. Suddenly he was pulled away, to the last day of the Battle of Hogwarts, to the death and resurrection of Potter, the confrontation between His Lord and Potter, to becoming a fugitive, to capture, the image of his wife's bitter goodbye. And then those long, hard years in prison, and finally, that moment in the Ministry.

Riddle stopped his probing, and cocked his head to a side, like a curious bird.

The cold, high voice whispered, "Fetch me Severus."

xxxxx

Sirius spent his dinner time looking at Harry with trepidation, but the boy refused to look his way. Instead, Harry sat with Ginny and laughed and joked with her, much to her pleasant surprise. Hermione seemed entirely speechless, barely touched her dinner and spent the time snapping at Ron and looking at Remus and Tonks through teary eyes.

"Hermione, dear, are you not well? You look dreadfully pale.", said Mrs Weasley.

"I'm fine Mrs. Weasley, I think I might be getting a headache. I should go lie down. Harry will you walk me upstairs?"

"I can walk you Hermione.", said Ron, getting to his feet.

"I would prefer Harry."

The tips of Ron's ears went red, and he glared at his best friends as they walked out of the room. Remus slid him a butterbeer and a look of comfort. Ron took the butterbeer and sipped it glumly.

Outside a quick and whispered conversation.

"Harry, we have to go back, we can't be here, we can't meddle."

"I've arranged a meeting with Dumbledore. We'll sort it out."

"We can't tell them anything, are you mad? We have to go back."

"We have to help them Hermione, don't you think Malfoy is here? You want to leave them with _nothing_? We have to help. And now that I'm here I'm damned if I don't keep Sirius, and Remus and Tonks and Fred alive."

"Harry, it's too dangerous. It'll change everything."

"Hermione, Lucius is here, he is reckless and dangerous. Everything is probably already changed, and we are all in danger. Don't you think he has already gone to Voldemort?"

"What will we do?"

"I have the beginnings of a plan. But I think we cannot tell everyone who we really are. Just Dumbledore, Remus, Sirius, and Snape."

"And Ron.", she said with a sob.

"Yes, and Ron. I'm sorry Hermione, I know it's hard."

"Harder for you, I'm sure, to see Sirius and Remus alive again."

"And this time, this time, they will _stay_ alive, Hermione."

"You can't guarantee that, Harry. If they are supposed to be dead in Time…"

Harry sighed. "We're expected at Hogwarts in half an hour. I'm off to speak to Kreacher."

"Why?"

"We're taking the locket with us. Might as well get started."

 _Fuck,_ thought Hermione uncharacteristically.

Xx

Kreacher had sobbed an ocean into Harry's jeans before guiding him to the ancient cabinet that housed the locket, amongst other things. Harry slipped it over his neck, resolving that this time, Sirius and he would treat the elf with kinder words. "You did well by Master Regulus, Kreacher. You did your duty." The elf launched into a further round of tears, so Harry gently disentangled himself and walked to the kitchen to meet everyone else. Ten minutes later, they found themselves in Dumbledore's office, with Fawkes gently cooing in a corner.

"Well, Harry, what do you have to tell us?"

Harry looked directly at Dumbledore, dropping his Occlumency shield ever so slightly.

"Ah.", said the old man, a twinkle in his eye, "Severus, would you fetch the Pensieve?"

"Why do we need the Pensieve? Can someone explain what is going on?" asked Sirius impatiently.

"I think we shall know soon if Mr. Potter and Miss Granger, I'm sorry Mrs. Granger-Weasley would be so kind as to lend us their memories."

Ron blushed and stared at Hermione, who blushed and raised her wand to her temple.

The Pensieve soon glittered with their co-mingled memories. Once Sirius, Remus, Ron, Dumbledore and Snape had gathered round the bowl, Harry motioned to Hermione.

"What?"

"Time to go harvest some basilisk fangs."

"Harry, why do you seem like you have had this plan in the back of your head for a while?"

"My God, Hermione, haven't you? My every waking moment is spent thinking how I would change everything, how I would save them all. When I saw Sirius, I knew what I had to do."

"Harry…"

"This is not the time for you to be Hermione, Hermione."

Reluctantly, she followed him down the deserted hallways and into the girl's bathroom on the fourth floor. _Open_ , he called and they descended into the chamber, past the wreckage of bones and shed snake skin, and face to face with the rotting skeleton of the basilisk. Wordlessly, the picked up the fangs.

Harry turned to her with a face of anger and determination. "I will finish Riddle, I will finish him this month if I can."

"But Harry…", her voice cracked.

"Yes, Hermione, I will have to die. But think of who will live."

"Harry…. They will see that in the memories, they will know, Sirius won't let you."

"I erased that part of the memory. If Dumbledore guesses, he won't say anything. He knew what I had to do."

And Harry, thirty eight, in the body of a fifteen year old, turned and headed back to the headmaster's office, towards the room that, nineteen years earlier had left knowing his purpose. To die, so that others may live.

Hermione waited for a while, shuddering. _Ron_ , she suddenly thought. _Ron at fifteen, he's my only hope._


	3. Chapter 3

"Acid Pops.", said Harry as he let himself and Hermione into Dumbledore's room and the rather peculiar tableau within. Dumbledore sat, scratching furiously at a piece of parchment, while Sirius paced the room shaking his head in amazement. Remus sat by the window, shaking and crying. Ron was pacing like Sirius, but stopped this abruptly to run to Hermione and engulf her in a hug. Only Snape was still and without reaction. When Harry walked in, Snape lifted his gaze and looked right at a set of emerald eyes that looked back at him with fondness, compassion and curiosity. _So like his mother's eyes._

 _xx_

 _Sparkling emerald eyes that locked into his from across Fortescue's ice-cream parlour. He couldn't stop himself. She was alone, he was alone, he could speak to her. He made his way to her table._

" _Sev-"_

" _Lily. How are you? I've missed you."_

" _I'm fine, Sev. Still a mudblood." Her eyes were full of tears and recrimination._

" _Lily, I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am-"_

 _She sighed. "I want to forgive you Sev. I've missed you, but since you left school I know you haven't stopped your association with Avery and Mulciber. They hate people like me, Voldemort kills people like me."_

" _Lily, I can't explain it, they are my friends, they value me. They understand certain things about the world… "_

" _I valued you Sev!"_

 _The outburst startled the clientele and Fortescue motioned to them that they should take the disagreement outside. Lily grabbed his arm and pulled him to the alley by the shop._

" _Lily, forgive me."_

" _Can you give up your ways?"_

" _I don't know."_

 _She burst into tears and he moved to comfort her when a voice tore through his ears._

" _Get away from her, Snivellus."_

 _It was Potter, arrogantly looming next to Lily, his wand held casually at his side._

" _Shut up James, I don't need saving.", said Lily._

" _I know, darling, just here if you need an assist."_

" _As am I, Prongette.", barked Black bouncing up._

" _Ah Gryffindor bravery, three ganging up on one. How proud McGonagall must be.", snarled Snape._

" _Let's go.", said Lily, tugging at Potter's sleeve. It was then that Snape saw it, the glowing emerald on the third finger of her left hand._

" _What is that?", he growled._

" _We're getting married, Snape. What 's the problem? Can't countenance a muggleborn marrying a pureblood?", snapped Potter._

 _Without even knowing what he was doing, Snape's wand slashed through the air. A long thin cut appeared on Potter's cheek. "You vermin!_ Confringo!" _cried Black, blasting a rip through Snape's robes._

" _Stop it! Stop it! Let's go James, Sirus." She turned to Snape with eyes not full of anger or bitterness, but pity. "I'll ask you please never to seek me out again, Sev.."_

 _The words hit him like bullets to the chest, and he sank to the floor, unable even to watch her walk away._

 _Three days later, he asked Malfoy and Lestrange to sponsor him, and, with only the slightest twinge of regret, took the Dark Mark._

Xx

That same Mark now burns, calling him to Voldemort, but all he can do is stare fixedly at the Boy.

Harry, avoiding the eventual conversation he must have with Snape, walks over to Remus and pulls something out of his pocket. It is a photograph of a blue haired Hogwarts Prefect, his hand lazily slung over Harry's shoulder, and a giggling red headed child in his hands.

"He's a testament to you, Remus. And to Dora."

"And he's…normal?"

"Likes his meat rare, and gets grumpy at the full moon but otherwise…"

"Thank you Harry."

They are interrupted by Sirius banging his fist on the desk and barking, "Well, what's the plan? We have the information, let's move before Malfoy does."

"I can't imagine that Malfoy has wasted any time in running to the Dark Lord.", said Snape, "I am being summoned."

"How much, Harry, does Malfoy know of Horcruxes and of Snape's involvement?"

It was Hermione who responded, "We kept the secret of the Horcruxes to ourselves. There are no details of Snape's exact involvement, but he is memorialized as a hero of the Battle of Hogwarts. Malfoy would be aware of that."

"Which may make it entirely unsafe for you to go to Voldemort, Severus.", said Remus carefully.

"And so I am to go into hiding? That makes two persons in the Order incapacitated Black's useless already."

"Why not just declare yourself as a member of the Order? Then fight openly for us, sure we lose the spy, but you know how they work, you can theorize their moves! Or do you enjoy keeping that other door open?", snarled Black.

"Why don't you come forward, tell the truth and demand a trial? Submit yourself to veritaserum? You seem to prefer hiding."

"Boys! This is not the time to enter into pitched schoolyard battles. Methinks our young friends have something of a plan.", said Dumbledore calmly. "Harry, Hermione…?"

Harry pulled the locket out of the pocket of his jeans. "We destroy what Horcruxes we can. The diary is already taken care of. The locket, and the diadem are within our reach. Getting to the others will be harder, but we make these dents now. Dumbledore, without telling the rest of the Order about who Hermione and I are, I think they should be told about the Horcruxes. Professor Snape, I think Sirius is right, you are the best placed person to strategize for us. We have to move quickly. If Riddle knows that we brought about his end, then he will know that we are aware of his secret. He may move quickly to protect the other Horcruxes, and to secure other means of immortality. And Sirius, Snape is right, you must come forward, place Wormtail in a position of vulnerability. Keeping you locked away-", and here Harry briefly glared at Dumbledore, " was what got you killed the last time."

"Very well, but where do we start?", said Dumbledore, feeling uncharacteristically unnerved.

"Here." Harry placed the locket on Dumbledore's desk. He took a fang from Hermione and handed it to Sirius. "Regulus gave his life to retrieve this. I think it only right that you deliver the blow. I will ask it to open, you must disregard what it says, whatever it says. Are you ready?"

Sirius nodded. The others took a few steps back. Harry focused himself on the eye of the locket and hissed softly and urgently. The locket sprang open and gave out a stream of silver light. Rising slowly from the light was the figure of a tall man with messy black hair and red eyes. He smirked at Sirius.

" _So, Sirius, there you are. You traitor. You sent Lily and I to our deaths. You knew Pettigrew was weak, but you were too selfish, didn't want Death Eaters at your back. Did you cry crocodile tears when you saw my dead body? Did you even care?"_

"James-", gasped Sirius, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry"

"Sirius, that's not my dad, it's Riddle, he's playing with your mind. Stab it."

" _Sirius knows the truth, he's responsible for you being an orphan Harry, for your loneliness, your mistreatment. Lazy, arrogant, selfish, fool. Turned Black at the last moment. Remus was always the better friend."_

"Oh SHUT UP!", cried a voice in the background and, quick as flash, a hand closed over Sirius' forcing it forward, plunging the basilisk fang into the center of the locket. Riddle-James screamed and exploded, Smoke filled the room, and when it dissipated, the locket sat on the desk, smoking slightly and leaking black liquid.

Sirius looked around to see who had helped him, and saw Snape standing by him with an unpleasant look on his face.

"Thank you."

"This is not time for sentimentality, Black."

"I think I need some air.", said Black. Many of the others agreed. Hermione offered to fetch the diadem from the Room of Requirement and Ron offered to go with her. After arranging with Dumbledore to assemble at Grimmauld Place for an emergency Order meeting, the others also filed out. Soon, only Dumbledore, Snape and Harry remained.

"Professor Snape, only I know the reason for your defecting to the Order. The others think it is because of loyalty to Dumbledore, but I want to say, how grateful I am to you, how much my mother would have been proud of you."

"We can never know what Lily's thoughts would have been.", said Snape dismissively, "but I thank you for keeping my secret."

"I buried you next to her."

Snape hung his head low, fighting back his tears. On his arm, the Mark glowed red and throbbed viciously.

Xx

And long ways away, two men in black robes struggle down a cliff face, seeking the entrance to the cave. Finding it, they offer blood sacrifice and journey across a lake, on a mission to bring back a precious artifact to their Lord. Only one, Mulciber, makes the return journey. Avery he has had to leave to the mercy of the Inferi.


	4. Chapter 4

_I am humbled and grateful for your reading and reviewing._

Narcissa Malfoy opened her eyes and stared around the soulless room. It wasn't often that she woke up in Lucius' bedroom, lovemaking having slowed down after they had done their duty and produced an heir. The past few days, however, Lucius had proved to be very amorous and Narcissa, who had been feeling rather bored, had given in. She looked over at her sleeping husband, his blond hair still elegantly coiffed. She patted his hand and exited the room, stepping soundlessly down the corridor to her own chambers. Even though Draco had a wing to himself two floors below, it would not do to be seen or heard. Sitting at her dressing table, she rang for her house-elf and ordered breakfast.

"Thank you Mistress. And an owl has come for mistress this morning."

"Leave it here, Gully. Will you ensure that Master Draco is awake for his riding lesson?"

The elf bowed and disappeared with a _crack_. Narcissa frowned at the parchment and its black edging, but opened it to read the neat and precise writing.

 _Narcissa,_

 _Soon you will hear that I have left Hogwarts to undertake some research. Do not fear, I shall ensure that Draco is still carefully watched over. I shall endeavor to be in touch._

 _S. Snape._

 _Well,_ thought Narcissa, _How very curious._

Xx

Riddle screamed when he saw the inside of the locket. _And what of the cup? Safely guarded with Bella. The diary? The diadem? I must retrieve the ring myself, and send my loyal servant to Hogwarts for the diadem._

He gestured to Nagini, drawing her close. _You must not leave me now, my love._ His thin fingered hands stroked the back of her head, and she curled herself around his shoulders, lying there like some hideous reptilian cape.

"My Lord." It was Malfoy, returning a summons.

"Malfoy. Do you still have in your possession the dairy that I entrusted to you?"

"I am afraid My Lord that I do not. Although it was successful in opening the Chamber, the Potter boy defeated the monster and destroyed the diary."

"Destroyed? How?"

"He stabbed it with a basilisk fang. Very crude. Arrrgh."

Malfoy writhed on the floor, panting from the force of Riddle's silent _crucio._ The torture continued for another ten minutes, searing waves of pain through his body.

"I beg your forgiveness, Master."

Riddle released him.

"You must repay me your folly, Malfoy. The Dark Lord is not merciful."

"And what is my task?"

"In the room of requirement at Hogwarts, perched upon the statue of a witch is a diadem. You must bring it to me."

"I will, My Lord."

"And we must expedite our plans for Azkaban, and for the retrieval of the prophecy."

"With my foreknowledge, My Lord, I have set the plan into action. I can report that we will break Azkaban tonight."

"This is pleasing to me. You will bring Bella directly here. Any word from Severus?"

"No, My Lord. It appears that the traitor has fled, he has had, no doubt, a warning from the Potter boy."

"Inform the others that both Potter and Severus are to be left to me. They are my own to kill. However, I believe the time may have come to enlist your own dear son to our ranks."

"I know that he will willingly serve."

"Good. Send Wormtail to me. It is time we sent the Potter boy a warning."

Xx

Wormtail apparated to an alleyway and idled for a moment, enjoying the freedom to breathe the open air in his human form. Then, he slowly began the process of altering his appearance, growing out a thick black beard, darkening his skin, and allowing his hair to blacken and curl. Then, turning quickly on his heel, he went out to the house lying low in the bushes till the woman and her brat came out. After an hour's wait they emerged and got into their Muggle transportation device. He whispered a Tracking Spell and followed them on their journey. As they entered the Muggle store, he sidled in after them and took his chance. The boy he eliminated with flick of his wand, but with the woman he waited, just one long minute, sixty extra seconds for her to tremble and plead for her life. Remembering the way she had once looked at him as a boy, he mustered extra venom into his spell and screamed the curse that took her life.

And Petunia Dursely fell, in the same green light that took her sister, and lay on the cold tiled floor of Sainsbury's with eyes that stared out seeing nothing, knowing nothing.

Laughing maniacally, Wormtail conjured a whirlwind of smoke, transformed into a rat and scurried back to his Master.

Xx

A dark figure walked softly in the graveyard of Godric's Hollow, stopping once he reached a shining marble headstone. Kneeling, he conjured a simple white lily and placed it on the stone.

"It is my time to be brave like you, my darling. Give me the strength to bear it." It was whispered so softly, it could almost be air. And yet, the wind heard it.

"So, it was always the Mudblood for you wasn't it, Severus?" The high cold voice was in the wind.

Severus turned, "My Lord."

The wind wrapped itself around him. "I am not your Lord, you betrayed your Lord , Severus. For the filthiest of reasons."

"I asked you to spare her."

"And so it would have been, but she was a fool. And you a greater fool, for I will kill you. I will hunt you down like an animal and be ecstatic when I have extracted the last exquisite drop of blood, frayed every nerve, broken every bone. HOW DARE YOU."

"I DARE because I know what it is to love, something you have never known, Tom."

The wind, black and cold and furious, struck out, leaving a wide gash on his chest. A rustled Crucio sent Severus down upon his knees.

"Repent, Repent unto your Lord!"

"I. will. Not."

A further stinging wind and Severus' face erupted in cuts. "Severus, you were so full of potential. Such proclivity for darkness. Such a shame. And now you will bleed upon her grave, is this what you will give her now? Your human putrefaction?"

There is no response. Severus lay there, his face pressed against the ground. Then, slowly, he rose, wand aloft, and let loose a stream of flame, that burnt and cut through the wind.

The wind coalesced into solidity, and Riddle appeared out of the gloom, his pale skin shining like the marble headstone. Red eyes looked with sorrow and fury at the bleeding shambles of the man in front of him. Riddle walked up to him, and lifted his wand, ready to strike, when a gust of ice separated them.

"You will not kill Severus tonight, Tom. You have been foolish in showing yourself."

"Dumbledore, come to collect your puppy dog? No one comes here, not even the Potter boy comes to see his parents."

"I told you to repent, Tom."

"I told YOU, to stop meddling, Albus. Take your dog, tie him, chain him. I will not kill him tonight. I will save that pleasure for later. For Nagini. Why deprive her of a meal when the blood of traitors is so delectably spiced?"

And with that, he becomes the rushing wind, and Riddle is gone. Snape falls to his needs, tears and blood pouring out of him and onto Lily's grave.

Dumbledore gently takes his arm, and spirits him away.

Xx

Hours late that evening, Vernon Dursley sits slumped on a bench at the National Hospital, a grief counselor by his side. He shoves at her and walks away. _It was some funny business, those freaks, they killed my family. I'll get the boy, I'll get him._

He almost breaks the hospital doors down in his haste to get outside.

"Potter! Potter!", he screams at passersby, mad with rage and grief.

And, as if from nowhere, a rushing sound, a green flash of light. And Vernon Dursley, too, departs this earth. Emergency personnel, bystanders and police rush to his side and dash around looking for the source of the light. The rush and buzz is deafeaning. A woman screams in panic.

Her scream drowns out a soft cackling sound is heard from the sky. And if you had cared to look closely at the shape flying high above, you would have seen that it is a woman, dressed in coarse black, with eyes alight with mania. She thrusts her hand up and brilliant silver light erupts, cleaving the air. She giggles like a little girl and Bellatrix softly begins to chant,

"Round and round the garden,

Like some ugly gnomes,

The muggles scurry onward,

Hurry, hurry hurry, before I send you to your catacombs."

Then, extending her her wand once more to slay a Muggle policeman, she flips her broom upwards, speeding on to see her Lord.


	5. Chapter 5

_Thank you to those who are reading and reviewing. You make my day! This chapter is a little more upbeat._

A shaft of sunlight broke through Harry's dreaming. He opened his eyes, trying to remember where he was. He felt warm, and calm. His body was missing the back ache he had woken up to every day for the past nineteen years. But a dull ache began in the middle of his forehead. Suddenly he shot upright, the events of the past two days filling his mind with terror and excitement. He reached for his glasses, slipped on his jeans and padded downstairs. He was met by Mrs. Weasley, levitating a tray of potions in front of her.

"How is Professor Snape, Mrs. Weasley?"

Her lips pursed into a thin line. "Much better thanks to Blood Replenishing Potions, but the cut on his chest only heals for an hour at a time, it keeps opening. Albus has sent for Madame Pomfrey, we can't risk sending him to St. Mungo's. "

"I'm sure he is grateful to you."

Mrs. Weasley snorted and made her way up to the room in which Snape was being housed.

Harry laughed and ran down to the kitchen to snag some breakfast. He found Remus and Sirius in some distress, talking to Dumbledore in the fireplace.

"Ah, Harry, good. Sit down. Kreacher, would you be so good as to get Harry a cup of tea?" asked Sirius.

Kreacher, clean, bubbly and bright, and wearing the damaged locket on his chest like a championship medal, acquiesced with a nod. Last night, he had been presented with the locket by Sirius, and the two together had cried over the loss of Regulus. It had gone a long way towards mending fences.

Dumbledore nodded at them all and vanished. Sirius sat next to Harry and ruffled his hair, nodding to Remus as he did so.

Remus spoke very gently, "Harry, last night there was a mass breakout from Azkaban, as you foretold there was in your own timeline. However, some other news has also reached us. Earlier in the evening, it would appear that an unknown person also took the lives of your aunt and your cousin. Much later on, your uncle was also killed. The Muggles think it is a terrorist attack, and the DMLE have modified several memories. The muggles who saw Vernon killed just saw a green light from the sky, and it would seem it was a dark, heavyset man who killed Petunia and Dudley. I would warn you against looking at any papers today. It would seem that Vernon screamed your name before he was killed. There are….spurious allegations."

Harry slammed his hands on the table in fury. "This is Riddle. Manipulative, evil.."

"Yes Harry, but as Dumbledore says, this is not the time for us to become emotional. Our emergency order meeting is today, but before that, Dumbledore feels, and I agree, that we need to clear up the Sirius question. With Snape incapacitated…. We need Sirius more than ever."

Harry nodded slowly. "Is there a funeral for the Dursleys?, Can I attend?"

It was Sirius who responded. "I don't think it would be safe for you to be out in the open at an event like that, Harry. You're an Auror, you know it'd be beastly to try and secure."

"All right, what's the plan with Sirius?"

"I think you may recall Amelia Bones?" said Remus with a little smile and a wink at Sirius.

Sirius rolled his eyes. Further conversation was interrupted by the clatter of incoming Weasleys.

Xx

A few hours later, Harry and Remus left Grimmauld Place, a big black dog by their side. They walked to an alleyway and apparated into Muggle London, and from there to a set of apartments. Harry looked at the seemingly Muggle apartments quizzically.

Remus laughed, "There are some wizards working at the Ministry who find it easier to stay in Muggle London during the week. Wait till you get inside."

Harry was amazed, and surprised he'd never encountered the place before. When they stepped inside, he could see the magical enlargements, the individual apparition points, the owl post, Banishment chutes for waste.

"I will never stop being surprised by magic.", he smiled.

"I'm glad to hear you say that Harry, it means you've grown into a wonderful man." They stopped for a just a moment and looked at each other. Harry's eyes filled with tears and he vowed that he would ensure Remus survived the oncoming storm. Padfoot snorted.

There were no lifts in this building. One simply stood in a long chute and told the elevator attendant your floor and he levitated you up. It was almost like flying. Once they soared up to the 17th floor, Padfoot barking the whole way, they headed directly to the last apartment at the end of a long corridor. The interior was practical, Aunt Petunia clean, and almost Muggle like in appearance. Seated on a comfortable armchair was Professor Dumbledore, and by his side, pouring out tea, Amelia Bones, Head of the Deparment for Magical Law Enforcement.

"Remus!" she said with surprise. "Dumbledore asked for a private meeting, but I did not expect you, or Mr Potter. Or…a dog."

"It's good to see you Amelia," said Remus.

"Sit down, sit down. Tea? I also have hot chocolate if Mr. Potter prefers."

"Tea is fine, thank you Madam Bones." Harry was amused at this formality. In his time, Amelia Bones was an advisor to the Aurors and to the DMLE, and now in retirement in Sussex. She was something of a grandmother to his children, as they lacked an immediate paternal matriarch.

"I was sorry to hear that the Muggle deaths last night were your aunt and uncle. I am even more surprised that you choose to wander London with such little security."

"I do not think that Harry is in any grave danger at the moment. Voldemort will wish to kill him personally, and he is not yet willing to expose himself," said Dumbledore sharply.

"Albus, you know the Ministry's position on this."

"And yet, I know you found the presence of Dementors in Little Whinging to be …hard to reconcile with Cornelius' version of reality. I am sure you hear the same whispers and see the same shadows that I do. Azkaban should be your final proof."

"Azkaban has swayed me from Cornelius' insistence that Voldemort has not returned. I agree. Yet, he does have a powerful servant in Black. Could he not be orchestrating all of this without his Master?"

Padfoot snarled and Remus patted him down.

"Amelia," said Remus, "I need to tell you a story. As you know, I am a werewolf."

"Yes, Remus, although only one month a night."

"Amelia, who I was able to become was mostly because of three very special friends of mine." And Remus then went on to explain the story of the Marauders, of how they became unregistered Animagi to help their werewolf friend survive his arduous monthly transformations.

Amelia looked at him curiously. Then, proving why she was the head of the DMLE she asked, "And which one of these friends is the dog?"

Slowly, Padfoot transformed into Sirius, and looked at Amelia with an expression of real fear.

Amelia grabbed her wand, but remained calm. "Is there something I do not know?"

"A great deal, Amelia. I asked you to bring some Veritaserum, will you administer it to Sirius? Let him tell you the story."

"Sirius, will you submit to a full body bind during this interrogation? I am sorry to do it, it means a great deal that Dumbledore and Potter trust you, yet, I must do this legally."

"Of course." Sirius sat in a chair and allowed Amelia to bind his body, using ropes conjured from her wand. She then went to a cabinet, extracted a vial of clear liquid, and swiftly tipped the entirety of its contents into Sirius mouth. His head fell forward lazily, and his eyes unfocused. Harry suppressed his rage at seeing his godfather put through such a trial.

Amelia sat herself down across from Sirius, her wand pointed directly at his heart.

"What is your name?"

"Sirius Orion Black."

"Who is Bellatrix Lestrange to you?"

"My cousin." The words were spat out with vehemence.

"Did you kill James and Lily Potter?"

Sirius' face crumpled in tears. "No, but I am responsible."

"Detail your responsibility."

"I was supposed to be the Secret Keeper but I made them switch to a traitor! A traitor called Peter! A rat!"

"How did you escape Azkaban?"

"In my form as an Animagus."

"Is Peter Pettigrew alive?"

"Only until I can get my hands on him."

"Are you or have you in any way been associated to the man known as Lord Voldemort?"

"Never!"

"Please roll up your sleeves."

Amelia examined Sirius' arms, tapping them here and there to expose any charms that may hide the Dark Mark.

"Have you ever killed?"

"I almost killed Peter Pettigrew…twice. Once he escaped, and the second time Harry Potter stopped me."

Amelia scratched her chin, then reached into her robes for a blue vial, which she handed to Remus. " This is the antidote. Administer it to your friend. Mr. Potter, do you stand by Sirius' statement?"

"I do Madame Bones. As the son of the two named victims in the case, I also ask that Sirius be given a trial. A trial that he was not given in the first place."

"I agree that a trial is necessary. And I cannot deny that he has told me the truth. However, he still will face fines for escaping Azkaban and for being an illegal Animagi."

"Will you put forward the case for a trial?"

"I will, but Sirius must be released into my custody and agree to stay in the holding cells at the ministry or, at the very least, house arrest until the trial is called."

Sirius growled a little. Dumbledore waved his hands. "I am happy to keep Sirius 'gated' at Hogwarts. With such an open space there is less chance of him trying to run away."

Remus laughed at the expression on Sirius' face. "A good idea, Albus. I think he had serious plans to run."

Amelia tapped Sirius' wrists with her wand, and two slim silver cuffs appeared on each one. "Then we must away. Err, Albus, considering how you are viewed with the Ministry at present, perhaps it would be prudent for you to not be seen defending Sirius in court? Remus and Harry, I think, must speak. Perhaps Minerva could provide a character witness?"

"That should be no problem. When should I expect Sirius at Hogwarts?"

"I will deliver him to your custody in forty eight hours. Come, Sirius."

Harry rushed to hug his godfather, before Amelia turned on the spot, taking her charge with her.

Remus looked despondent. Harry gently stroked his back. "I know it's hard now, but he is innocent. He will be free. It's better this way."

Remus sighed. "I miss James."

Xx

Harry tapped gently on the door to Snape's room. The interior was surprisingly well lit, and Snape himself was seated upright, reading.

"I brought you something to eat, thought I'd give Mrs. Weasley a little break."

"That is thoughtful, Potter. Thank you."

Harry smirked a little as he set down the tray. "May I sit down?"

"I am hardly in a position to stop you."

"I am glad of having a second chance to know you better."

"Are you? That may not pass muster with your godfather."

"Well Sirius will be away for a while. So I will take my chance."

"What do you want, Potter?"

"That you call me Harry. And… I had Remus and Sirius to tell me about my father, but no one to tell me of my mother. Aunt Petunia never did and now she never will."

Snape's face closed down a little, and he turned to look at the lamp. For several minutes, he said nothing, and Harry, full of the wisdom of his adult years, waited silently. Finally, softly, Snape spoke.

"She was brilliant, and funny, and infuriating, and stubborn. Compassionate and bloody minded, all in the same breath. She loved the autumn, more than spring or summer. Just the sight of yellowing leaves would send a thrill through her. She'd walk for hours in autumn weather, even if it rained. The first potion I perfected was a Pepper Up Potion, just to make sure Lily didn't catch her death of cold."

Harry smiled. "Thank you. That's a wonderful memory. I'll let you rest now, but I shall expect more of this, Professor."

"Will you show me an image of my grave?" this was said in a hoarse whisper.

Harry raised his wand to his temple and extracted a diaphanous, silver thread. He threw it in the air and made a zig zag motion. A watery image formed, showing the gleaming headstone where the Potters were buried, and next to it, of simple black marble a grave, bearing the inscription " _O t'ispiri il Signore un concento che ne infonda al patire virtù."_ _Carved into the headstone was a simple, white lily._

 _Snape nodded, and Harry rose to go._

 _"You're more like her than you know, Harry. Thankfully, you have more of her than Potter."_

 _"Then we should be better friends, Professor."_

 _Snape almost smiled. "For that, I will tell you that Lily's greatest desire was to be a Healer. But, with the war, she must have abandoned those dreams to fight the Dark Lord. It is fitting that her final act was to ensure her son was safe from grievous harm. Now go, Potter, the sentimentality of this conversation grows mawkish. You are not to speak of this to Lupin or Black."_

 _Harry laughed, "Always, Professor."_

 _Xx_


	6. Chapter 6

_A chapter for both the dark and the light. Thank you for reading!_

Riddle pressed his fingers to Wormtail's forehead and drew out the memory of the Dursley's assassination. He lingered for those few seconds when Petunia begged for her life, swirling the feeling around his head like a sommelier tasting a fine wine. Finally, with a childish giggle, he released Wormtail.

"You have done well, Wormtail."

"Thank you Master."

"The Potter boy's filthy Muggle blood is eliminated. He has no protection now."

"Lily's blood still runs in his veins."

"It is no matter, the ancient magic is weakened now, we can take him if he is in the open. Lucius has been most...useful, do you not think?"

"I too have been useful, have I not Master?"

"Do not overplay your hand, Wormtail. Gather yourself, it is time we departed."

Riddle walked out to the balcony, and, surveyed the early evening light for a moment. He lifted his wand hand and looked at the glint of gold that sparkled on his middle finger. There rested the Gaunt ring, his first Horcrux. He smiled coldly, and turned in one spot, arriving softly in a private chamber at Malfoy Manor. Special arrangements had been made at the mansion so that Riddle could apparate directly inside. Since Lucius' return from the future, Malfoy Manor had also turned into a kind of headquarters for the Death Eaters. Riddle took a moment of pause, but was disturbed by the rustling of some silk in the corner.

"My Lord, My Lord.." murmured the heap of silk.

"Bella. Come to me." She crossed the floor and flung herself at him, pressing as close as she could. He tapped her cheek with a fingernail. "My evil genius, you crave the fight do you not? I will have you tasting blood soon, Bella. Are the others assembled?"

"Yes, Master."

"Come, then."

They descended the marble staircase, Bellatrix ahead of him, but twisting around every few seconds as if she could not bear to have her eyes parted from him. They entered the great drawing room, lit only by a magnificent fire. Grouped around the table were many Death Eaters, each wearing his or her own mask. Only the Malfoys and the Lestranges let their faces be shown.

Riddle walked to the head of the table and called Malfoy to his right and Bellatrix to his left. He smiled coldly and nodded to them all.

"My friends, it is good to see you all again. We gather, lesser in number, some lost to the fight, and others to their own cowardice. Yet, we cannot be beaten, we shall persevere, we shall overcome the injustices in our world, and build a greater one. Your courage will be rewarded, I will care for you and elevate you, for I am your mother and your father, I am your God."

They bowed and murmured assent. "Seat yourselves, for we have much to discuss. Lucius…"

"Thank you My Lord. An initial priority for us is taking over the Ministry. Fudge is hysterical and paranoid, and the in the right state of mind to be controlled. Crabbe, Goyle, Greengrass, it is up to us to Imperius as many Ministry officials as we can. I have begun parlay with the goblins, to bring Gringotts within our influence."

"Good, very good. The Minister is, I think, rattled with our little breach of Azkaban. Perhaps, Nott, it is time for you to send him a few of your friends, as well," said Riddle, "You will report your movements to Lucius. But another matter is more pressing at this time. Rodolphus and Rabastan, you must hand over your vaults at Gringotts to the Malfoy family, there are items within that require the utmost and most urgent protection."

Bellatrix spoke quickly, "My Lord, the vault in question is mine, it is a Black vault. To invoke the magic that changes ownership also requires the permission of the head of the Black family."

"And who is that?"

"Sirius.", said Narcissa. "When Sirius dies, it automatically becomes Draco's. He is the next surviving male of Black blood."

"Then your mission is simple, Bella. Kill Sirius Black."

The meeting is then adjourned, and the Death Eaters take their leave. Only the Malfoys, Pettigrew, and Bellarix remain with Riddle.

"Master, "says Wormtail, " What of the prophecy? Do you not need to hear it?"

"Malfoy has informed that there are ways for Potter to retrieve it for us. Do not trouble yourself with it, Wormtail. Leave us, Nagini needs milking." With a grovel and a grimace, Wormtail is gone.

Riddle turned his red eyes to Draco Malfoy. "Draco, my boy, your father has done me a great service, and now serves as my right hand, my lieutenant. But I wish to reward him further. You may recall tell of your Uncle Regulus? He was once my most trusted soldier, my favourite. Yet, he, too, failed me. Perhaps another, a sharer of the Black bloodline can wipe his shame away. Are you willing to erase that memory, to serve me unconditionally?"

Draco only trembled.

"Of course he is, Draco would be honoured," said Lucius. Narcissa's face closed completely, but her hand curled tightly on her wand.

"Extend your left hand, Draco." Lucius pulled the boy's hand forward, rolling up the sleeves of his robes. Riddle's wand glowed red and he placed the tip of the wand on the boy's arm. The smell of burning flesh fills the room and Draco screams. After what seems like forever to Narcissa, the screaming stopped, and Draco sank to the floor, his skin smoking from the branding.

Narcissa could not contain herself, "Lucius, he is underage!", she hissed.

Riddle turned to her, his voice soft and coaxing. He pulled her into an embrace. "Narcissa, a storm is gathering, and we are all called to be a part of it. You will be the mother of a great Dark Wizard, for I shall groom Draco as I would teach my own son!"

"You should be honoured, Cissy!", said Bella, her eyes full of tears of joy.

Narcissa looked worldlessly at her husband. Then she nodded, and summoned the house-elf, directing Gully to take Draco to his room.

Riddle eyed her and then said, in silky tones. "He must recover by tonight, for I shall need him with me for a little…errand. That is, if you do not mind me borrowing your son."

Narcissa bowed her head, and slipped quickly from the room, leaving her sister and husband with their Master.

Xx

Hermione hummed softly to herself as she bustled about the kitchen at Grimmauld Place helping Mrs. Weasley to prepare dinner. She rarely did this now, even though she was officially part of the family, and vowed to herself that if she and Harry ever made it back to their own time, she would spend more time with her mother-in-law. There was a bang and a clash, and the twins entered, their arms suspiciously empty.

"Hello mum, soup up yet?"

"Why don't you lay the table if you want to eat? We've got half the Order in for dinner today.", said Mrs Weasley as she checked on a roasting chicken.

"We shall be like house-elves! Don't kill us Hermione, put the knife down, there's a good witch." Fred grinned at Hermione, and she had to turn back to her chopping so that he could not see the tears in her eyes.

The twins continued their task, with more noise than usual. Tonks waltzed in halfway, which only raised the level of the noise, so Mrs. Weasley had to chase them all out, leaving just herself, Hermione, and Crookshanks to finish the work.

Within a half hour, however, the room was full again, with Tonks, Kingsley, Neville and his grandmother, and the Diggorys also joining in with the usual crowd.

"Fabulous meal, Molly," groaned Mr. Weasley, taking a third helping of chicken and potatoes.

"Now don't finish everything, I promised Dumbledore to save him and Remus a plate. They're busy with the Ministry ensuring Sirius is all right."

"We're here, we're here," said Remus, striding in, Dumbledore behind him.

"How's Sirius?" asked Harry.

"Having too much fun annoying Moody. Dumbledore managed to convince Amelia to let Mad-Eye be his watchman." Remus laughed and slipped into a seat next to Tonks, who smiled brilliantly and flushed a little, her hair going rainbow colours. Hermione wondered how they all missed the palpable attraction before.

Tonks turned to Harry, "Don't worry, mate, I slipped Sirius a few toys, help make the time a more of a wheeze.", she winked at the twins.

"That's terribly irresponsible, Nymphadora, you _are_ an Auror."sniffed Mrs. Weasley.

"It's all right Molly, better than leaving Sirius to make his own fun," said Remus with his own calm smile.

Once dinner was over, and other members of the Order began to file in, Harry and Remus nipped upstairs to help Snape come down.

The table was quickly cleared, and coffee and tea served. A hush fell over the room as they waited for Dumbledore to speak. At Harry's insistence, the Weasley children had been allowed to stay, as well as Neville and his grandmother. The Diggory's had also responded to Harry's firecall earlier in the day, and were attending their first Order meeting.

"My friends, we find ourselves facing a little bit of a reset, a different focusing of our strategies. We will continue to guard the prophecy as we have been doing, but a new task is set in front of us. You will pardon me that I cannot reveal all the details, but I have received new information that may, I hope, accelerate the process for the vanquishing of Voldemort. At this point, I would like us to take a minute to honour the memory of Regulus Black, who risked his life for this battle we fight."

The room was silent, but a few turned to each other with confused expressions.

"First, Hagrid, Remus and Bill, may we have you reports on your continued outreach to select community groups?"

They acquiesced, and a good half hour was devoted to these updates, as well as commentary about the reports.

Dumbledore spoke again. "There are many important points that must be covered before I make my final announcement. As you know Sirius is to face a trial for his life. May I have volunteers to help prepare his defense? Good, good, yes Miss Granger, I thought you would be ideal. And Bill and Remus? Splendid. Minerva, I have said you would be a character witness, I did not think you would mind. Good. Next, it appears that Severus's position as a spy has become compromised. He has sustained a significant injury also, and this requires a little rethink in terms of Hogwarts. The compromise reached is that he will continue to teach at Hogwarts, but only on a part time basis, teaching the advanced classes. Every night, he will return here to Grimmauld Place, where he and Bill will undertake a rather special project in spell development."

This raised some curious eyebrows, but Dumbledore refused to elaborate. Hermione, ever the A student had to ask,

"And what of the junior Potion classes?"

"Well, for that, I have asked a former student, who was herself a rather dab hand at Potions, to join the staff at Hogwarts. I am happy to say you will benefit from the tutelage of soon to be Professor Molly Weasley."

"All right MUM!" cried the Weasley children, while their mother smiled and blushed.

"I would like to thank Molly and Arthur, because they have also agreed to take up residence at Hogwarts for the school term, thus providing additional layers of security at the school."

Harry clapped furiously, he always felt that his in-laws didn't get enough of a look in during the war.

Dumbledore waited for the excited murmuring to die down, before placing a ruined diary, a broken locket (borrowed from Kreacher), and a crumbling diadem on the table.

"These three items represent the beginning of the end of Tom Riddle. However, we now face a quest to destroy three other items, each containing a piece of magic that makes Riddle indestructible. Three separate teams will be deployed for each item. One will be headed by Harry, the other by myself, and the third by Sirius Black. Please indicate on the parchment I am handing around as to which team you would like to belong to. I shall warn you that Miss Granger has enchanted the parchment, binding you to the secrets of the tasks you are to undertake."

After everyone had chosen their teams, the meeting was dismissed, but many stayed back, whispering to each other about the new task. Kingsley Shackleboat was the first to leave, but not before he congratulated Hermione on the advanced magic that she had performed on the parchment. She beamed at him and turned back to the room to look over at Ron, who was also beaming back. So caught up was she that she almost missed Remus slipping over to Tonks.

Xx

Remus felt buoyant and hopeful for the first time in a long time. Yes, the news of the Horcruxes, and the complication that Harry _was_ one, and Sirius' impending trial were worrying, but he felt somehow light. A lot of it had to do with the brief good fortune he had glimpsed in his future. He felt impatient for it to begin. Besides, he knew it would amuse Sirius no end. Gathering his courage, he went over to Tonks and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hey you.", she said.

"Dora, I wonder, would you like to take a quick walk with me? I'm still so full from dinner, I feel that I could use a little stroll."

Her hair went a brilliant pink. "I'd love to."

They slipped outside, ignoring Bill's wolf whistle, and walked in companiable silence along the pavement. After a while she spoke.

"Tell me, does it feel like it did during the first war?"

"It does and it doesn't. I think the stakes are higher now. Back then, we were young, we were more reckless, I think James and Sirius thought it was more of a game than a war."

"And now?"

"And now, we bear the burden of loss. We know what it is like to have been broken."

"So why do you fight?"

"Because there is always hope. When there is darkness, hope is always greater, they cannot exist without each other, you know."

"That is extremely profound, _Professor._ "

"I never was your Professor, you know."

Her jaw dropped and she stared at him.

"I'm sorry, I was taken over by the spirit of Sirius for a moment."

"No, no I didn't mind. Shall we walk to the park? It's a lovely night."

He smiled, and they turned their steps towards the park. Remus breathed in the night air, his heightened senses taking in the scent of anthuriums, grass, automotives, discarded food wrapping, and something citrusy and cinnamony, which he identified as Tonks. He kept his eyes closed for a moment, and was delighted to suddenly feel her hand slipping into his. Hand in hand, they kept on walking.

Xx

And miles away, as the night grows on, two other figures can be seen walking through the corridors of Nurmengard. They alight upon a heavily guarded cell. In a moment, the guards are dead and the wards are broken. Grindelwald raises a skeleton like face.

"I knew you would come."

"And you knew you would die. My final ascent is imminent, there shall be no other living Dark Lords but me, Grindelwald."

"Why have you brought a boy? Is this a new fetish?"

"Shut up,". Said Riddle. He stood in the middle of the room, raised his wand to his own chest and began to murmur and chant. Suddenly, a whooshing sound, and a new darkness enveloped the cell. Grindelwald looked closely at Riddle, who seemed to become a blur. Then, Riddle's body solidified, but blood began to seep from his eyes. Brushing the blood aside, Riddle smirked at Grindelwald. A flash of green, and the old Dark Wizard was no more.

"Come here, Draco."

Riddle reached his hands up and clasped the darkness in the cell. With his wand, he guided it towards Draco. Another whoosh and suddenly Draco's body was filled with green light. Riddle screamed, as did Draco.

The boy fainted, and Riddle once more seemed to blur. When he had caught his breath, he picked up the boy, and examined the thin, crescent shaped scar on the boy's neck. Then, with his new Horcrux in his arms, Riddle apparated away from Nurmengard.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for reading. Sorry for slow updates!**

Harry screamed as pain shot through his scar. He felt ripped limb from limb, his eyes awash with green light.

"Harry, mate, wake up!"

Harry tumbled off the bed and crouched on the floor, breathing heavily and sweating. Remus and Snape rushed in, wands held aloft.

"Harry, what happened?", asked Remus.

"Riddle….some powerful magic. I felt it course through me."

"Magic directed at you?", asked Snape sharply.

"No, far away. But it hurt him."

"Potter, are you able to practice Occlumency?"

"Not when I am asleep."

"It may be a skill you need to develop." Snape cast some diagnostic spells over Harry, and, satisfied that there was no damage, left the room.

"Harry, do you have any idea what Riddle did?", asked Remus.

"I can't say for sure. I felt what happened to him when he cast the spell, like he was being ripped apart…." Harry stopped suddenly.

"Mate, what is it?", asked Ron fearfully.

"Being torn apart, his very self was torn apart. Remus, you don't suppose he made another Horcrux?"

"Wouldn't that be dangerous? His soul is already so broken."

"But immortality is an obsession of his, and he knows we are destroying Horcruxes, Lucius would have told him what we know."

"If you are right Harry….", Remus sighed and rubbed his temples. "Go to bed, we can talk to Dumbledore in the morning."

After Remus left, Ron turned to Harry.

"Hermione told me what you plan to do."

"And are you supposed to try and stop me?"

"I don't want you to die, Harry."

"It might be the only way, Ron. It's easier than if I were really fifteen, you know. I did live a life after Voldemort. If I can give everyone else a bright future, if Fred and Remus and Sirius and Tonks can live…."

"Maybe Dumbledore can find another way."

"Maybe. Go to bed, Ron. I'll stay up a while."

Xx

Dumbledore, however, was difficult to reach for the next few days. He had respectfully noted that he would be taking some time in quiet retreat, much to the mystification of most of the Order. Only Hermione and Harry, knowing of Dumbledore's close friendship with Grindelwald, could guess the reason for Dumbledore's sudden actions. The news of Grindelwald's death shot through the British and European wizarding world in spectacular fashion. Who had killed him? How was Nuremberg breached? Was it even necessary to mourn such a Dark Wizard? Wasn't it good riddance?

There were no tributes written, just the sensationalism of the press. Harry almost felt sorry for him, and wondered how hard it must be for Dumbledore. In Harry's other timeline, Dumbledore had already been dead when Voldemort took Grindelwald's life.

However, at least they did know something of the night that Harry woke screaming. It had been the night Grindelwald died.

"Riddle has to kill to make a Horcrux, and Grindelwald would have been a specific death, a symbolic one. I feel sure that he has made a new Horcrux." Whispered Harry to Remus, Snape and Hermione over dinner.

"Potter is right. What is one more Horcrux if he has split himself already? He is desperate in his quest to be undefeated.", agreed Snape, flicking moodily at the bandage on his chest.

"Surely it's an advantage for us that he has made himself so unstable?", asked Remus.

"Yes, but now we have a wild card Horcrux. It could be anything.", worried Hermione.

Remus pounded the table, startling the others. "We can't think about it now. Sirius' trial is tomorrow, we must focus on that. If it's a wild card we seek, Sirius is who we need. No one like a reckless Marauder to take us forward."

Harry snorted at the look of disgust on Snape's face, but couldn't help but agree.

Xx

The day of Sirius' trial dawned with clouds as stormy grey as his eyes. Harry and the others woke early and made their way to the Ministry, Remus and Hermione overflowing with books and folders. It wasn't helped by the fact that Fred and George had placed a Geminio charm on one of the folders, and every time Hermione touched it, her pile just grew larger.

At last they arrived at the courtrooms, and Remus and Harry, as key witnesses, were led away to an antechamber.

"Can't I just see Sirius for a minute before he goes in?", asked Harry of Mad-Eye who was guarding him.

"Not a chance, Potter. Not if you want Fudge to accuse you of collusion. Sit down, drink some tea."

They sat in the dark little room, Remus and Mad-Eye making small talk about mutual acquaintances. Harry picked idly at a loose thread on his trousers.

"Kingsley is a good lawyer, Harry. He was the star of the DMLE before he joined the Aurors. Sirius is in good hands.", said Remus, trying to soothe Harry.

"I'm sorry Remus, I keep remembering the way the Ministry treated all of us. It's hard to forget a bias."

"But we must have hope."

They were interrupted by a Ministry official in brown robes who summoned Remus to the courtroom. He hugged Harry lightly and slipped away.

"Won't be long now, Potter.", said Mad-Eye.

Harry hung his head and sat back, impatiently.

"Auror Potter. Enjoying your trip?", asked a silky voice.

Harry looked up at the blond hear, the smirking eyes, and lost all his control. He ran at Malfoy and pinned him to the wall, his wand at the Death Eater's throat.

"Potter, are you barking mad? Get off him this instant. And you, Malfoy, I'd be walking away if I were you." With swift actions that belied his age, Mad-Eye pulled Harry down, and shoved his own wand at Lucius.

Lucius sniffed at them both in disgust. " You're a pathetic old man, Moody. As for The Boy Who Keeps Living. There is no winning the war this time, Potter. " He swept away, leaving a glowering Harry.

"What the devil is Malfoy doing at the Ministry?"

"He still works for the Ministry."

"But he's a Death Eater! He's Riddle's right hand man."

"There's no proof yet. What the hell has got into you Potter? Keep acting the goat and you will put Sirius in real jeopardy."

This calmed Harry down and he breathed slowly, wondering why he kept reacting like a fifteen year old. He just felt so very powerless, all of a sudden.

"Mr. Potter? Will you step this way? Alastor, you should come too."

They followed the Ministry official into the courtroom. It was almost a similar sight to Harry's hearing, will the entire Wizengamot gathered to try Sirius. Except Sirius sat in the middle of the room, bound in chains, two guards standing by with their wands trained on him. The attending public were sparse. Due to the high media interest in the case, only family and friends had been allowed in. So there were an assortment of Weasleys, the entirety of the Order, Kreacher, Andromeda and Ted Tonks, and, in a corner, a veiled lady. Dumbledore and Kingsley sat in chairs adjacent to Sirius, with Hermione's pile of folders by Kingsley's feet. Remus was just taking his own seat in the public benches.

"Harry James Potter?" inquired the voice of Cornelius Fudge.

"Yes.?"

"Please take your place on the witness stand. Hold out your wand, swear that these words you present are the words of truth and fact, as you yourself have known it."

Harry did so.

"Please recount to us the events of the night of May of last year, in which you first encountered Sirius Black at the Shrieking Shack in Hosgmeade."

Taking a deep breath, Harry told them of rushing down to Hagrid's, of the journey into the Shack, the face off with Wormtail, Remus' transformation and the escape. He also confessed to assisting with Sirius' escape. When his tale was over, he simply fixed his eyes on Sirius, and his godfather looked back at him with glistening eyes.

"Well,", said Kingsley, "As you can see Mr. Potter's tale coincides exactly with that presented by Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin."

"That is not discounting a very powerful Confundus Charm.", growled Fudge.

"Then would the Minister ask Mr. Potter to submit to a diagnostic check for any spells he may be under?"

"I submit to this!" said Harry immediately.

The brown robed Ministry official came forward and waved his wand in repeated circles. Puffs of green and black appeared above Harry's head, but none of the purple that Harry knew, from his own Auror training, would indicate an Imperius or Confundus charm. Fudge only grunted at the result.

"Very well Mr Shacklebolt, the floor is yours."

"Thank you Minister. And may I thank you once more for arranging this trial, a trial, you will remember, that Mr. Black was not afforded in the first instance. Now, members of the Wizengamot, you have heard witnesses of character that spoke of Mr. Black as a loyal friend, a true Gryffindor, of his closeness and brotherly love for James Potter. You have heard those who fought alongside Mr. Black speak of his entire devotion to the fight against You-Know-Who, of his own abandonment of his PureBlood inheritance in order to champion the cause of the light. You have heard two separate accounts that indicate that Peter Pettigrew is, indeed, the guilty party. You have seen Mr. Black transform into his Animagus, you have questioned him using Veritaserum and observed his memories in a Pensieve. You can only conclude that my client, as per Section 18 Article 52 of the Wizarding Code must be released from all charges pressing against him. And, my friends in the Wizengamot, you have also seen, in the last few minutes, the palpable affection between godfather and godson. Surely that, too, is proof of a filial bond that would never lead a man to the vile betrayal he is accused of!"

"Thank you Mr. Shacklebolt. The Wizengamot will now retire to discuss the verdict. The prisoner will be led to the antechamber."

Harry rushed to hug Sirius before they could take him away, then, he went to sit by Remus, unable to do anything till the verdict came. Mrs. Weasley came by and fussed at them both, literally force feeding them ham sandwiches and pumpkin juice. An hour passed by, and then another. Just when Kingsley rose to go and check on the council, they filed in. Amelia Bones was shooting murderous looks at Umbridge and Fudge, and several of the older members of the Wizengamot seemed similarly cross with the Minister.

Once they were settled, Sirius was brought in and Fudge curtly nodded to the foreperson of the Council. She rose and nodded to Kingsley to come forward.

"I, Sylvia Prakash, forewoman of this Wizengamot, convened here on this day of July, give the following verdict in the case of Sirius Orion Black. Mr. Black is cleared of the charge of betraying Lily and James Potter. Mr. Black is cleared of the murder of Peter Pettigrew and thirteen Muggles. He is fined a sum of 5000 Galleons for being an illegal Animagus, a fine that will increase two fold if he has not registered with the Department for Magical Law Enforcement within thirty days. He is found guilty of breaking free from Azkaban prison, but given that he was not provided a trial"- and here she stopped to glare at Fudge- " no sentence is given, but he is requested to make a donation to Derwent's Home for Magical Elderly. Mr. Black is reinstated all Black properties and moneys thereof in his inheritance and is invited to take his family's seat in the Wizengamot. And so is this concluded."

With this, the magical chains binding Sirius fell away, the Wizengamot filed out, and he was suddenly engulfed by a crowd of people chanting his name. A brown haired woman pushed her way through and kissed him soundly on the forehead.

"Andie! I didn't know you cared!", cried Sirius kissing his cousin back.

"Shut up you idiot. Oh! We weren't even allowed to send you a letter when you were taken away! Why didn't you come straight to us when they died?", and with this she laughed and hit him in the back of the head.

"Mum!", cried Tonks, a little embarrassed to see so much emotion from her own mother.

"Ah baby Nymphadora. Come here and congratulate your uncle.", winked Sirius.

"Don't call me Nymphadora."

"How very silly, it's a perfectly beautiful name and it was the name of one of our rather more eccentric Aunts.", said a cool voice.

Everyone turned to look at who this could be, and Narcissa Malfoy lifted her veil, revealing a face that yielded no emotion.

"Cissy.", whispered Sirius, aghast.

"Cissy. Err Dora this is your Aunt Narcissa.", said Andromeda, quite shocked.

"Err…Wotcher Aunt Narcissa."

Narcissa looked at Tonks as if her niece were some creature from the Black lagoon. "Good grief Andie. Never mind, I am not here for this. Sirius, I am glad you are free. Preposterous to suppose you had allied yourself with Bella."

Sirius laughed nervously. "Thank you for coming Cissy."

"May I speak to you alone? Andie may stay."

"Allright, allright, let's head on, we need to plan a party, after all." And with this, Mr. Weasley dragged the crowd out, to the refrains of the twins' new song "For Kingsley's a Jolly Good Lawyer!".

The three Blacks stared at each other for a while. Then Andromeda crossed to her sister, hugged her and said, "I've missed you."

"And I you, but I am afraid our sides were chosen for us. My husband is waiting for me, and I need to ask Sirius something. Where is Regulus? What happened to him? He disappeared on some work…for my husband's Master, and never returned."

Sirius' face twisted. "Regulus is dead. He died betraying your husband's Master."

Narcissa's face shook with tears. "But Regulus was his favourite."

"Regulus chose the right path in the end. He was a noble prat, after all.", said Sirius.

"Cissy….maybe..", began Andromeda, but Narcissa had already pulled down her veil. Nodding to them both, she fled from the courtroom.


	8. Chapter 8

**I thank you for reading—and look forward to reviews.**

Freedom. It has meant different things for different people. For some, it is the release from colonial oppression, for others, it has meant the ability to read and comprehend the world, for yet others, it has meant escape from an abusive situation. For Sirius Black, it meant the simplest of things; the ability to stand in the middle of Diagon Alley and eat a signature Fortescue Ice Cream Sundae.

"You're making a pig of yourself.", said Remus.

Sirius laughed his barking laugh and flicked a little chocolate syrup at his friend. Remus rolled his eyes, sighed, and took his leave. He and Hermione were going back to Grimmauld to help Bill and Snape with their special project. Although most of the Order had left soon after the court case finished, Remus, Harry and Hermione had stayed behind to be with Sirius.

"I guess it's just us then, Pronglet. Gringotts? Fancy a staring match with a goblin?"

"You're a strange sort of godfather, Sirius."

Sirius smirked, "Your thirties have brought out the Lily in you. What a shame."

Harry shook his head as they made their way to Gringotts. They entered the bank and waited in line to see the Head Goblin, Sirius providing Harry with a running commentary all the while.

"Do you know, Sirius, Ron, Hermione and I were banned from Gringotts for five years?"

"Brilliant. But why?"

"We freed a dragon whilst breaking in to Bellatrix's vault."

Sirius laughed hysterically.

"It isn't that funny."

"Yes it is. Why would you need to hack in to Bellatrix's vault? Aren't you my heir?"

"I don't understand."

"Bella's vault is _her_ money. It's a Black vault. I made you my heir, you have control over the vault too."

"No one has ever told me that. Not in nineteen years."

"Bloody goblins. Probably absorbed as much as they could.", muttered Sirius under his breath.

They soon found themselves at the front of the line. The Head Goblin nodded at Sirius, and asked for his wand. Once the check was through, he motioned Sirius forward and led them away to the vaults. It seemed to Harry that they were journeying into the deepest bowels of the earth, he himself had never been so far into Gringott's. Finally, they arrived at a series of heavily barred vaults. Sirius nodded towards the middle one. Inside was an obscene amount of gold and treasure. Barely looking at it, Sirius filled a couple of money bags and then left quickly.

"Sirius, could we go to Bellatrix's vault?", asked Harry.

"Why not? Godrook, the vault of Bellatrix Lestrange."

They travelled through and Harry's heart sank to see the dragon guarding the vault, and the goblin scaring it back. Resolving to push harder for rights for the dragons, he followed Sirius in to the vault.

"Well?"

"There's a _Geminio_ charm on the entire vault. We have to be careful in retrieving the Horcrux that's in here."

Harry closed his eyes and flexed into his feelings. Something in the vault was calling out to him, speaking to his darkest desires, rejoicing in seeing a part of it's self so close.

"Top, left…. _Accio Hufflepuff's Cup_!" The cup soared through the air to Harry, but not before knocking over several other ornaments on the shelf, which immediately began to multiply and knock into others.

"Bugger. We better leave quickly.", said Harry, stretching out to catch the cup. It burnt his skin, but he didn't care. Grabbing Sirius, he hurried out to the waiting goblin. Godrook looked curiously at the cup in Harry's hand.

"That…is an evil object."

"And I am taking it out of Gringotts."

Mumbling under his breath, Godrook took them back up and saw them out without much ceremony.

"What's wrong with him?", asked Sirius.

"In my experience, goblins have a very black and white way of looking at the world."

Shaking their heads, they walked down the street, the cup safely hidden in the pocket of Harry's coat. As they rounded the corner near _Flourish and Bott's_ , Sirius stopped abruptly and raised a finger to his lips. He motioned to Harry to listen carefully. Harry switched to his Auror persona, tuning his ears to the slightest sound. And, almost imperceptibly, he could hear a giggle. The source could not have been more than 200 yards from him. He reached for his wand, but before he could turn, a bright green light shot out in Sirius' direction.

" _Protego!_ " cried Sirius, deflecting the spell, "Dammit Bella, show yourself, coward! Same bloody tricks as when you were a child. _Fractus!"_

His spell seemed to find it's target, for Harry heard a shriek of pain to his left. " _Revelio Maxima!_ " he screamed, and Bellatrix's Disillusionment Charm lifted. She was crouched down by the side of the street. The sight of her, and the dueling from Harry and Sirius, sent shoppers away screaming. _Crack!_ And two Aurors appeared at the other end of the street. They started running towards Bellatrix, but a dense black smoke was already surrounding her, lifting her into the sky. " _Oculus Explodo!"_ she cried, her wand pointed directly at Sirius, he dodged, as Harry reached to protect him. The spell hit Harry's glasses and he screamed as a shard of glass lodged just under his eye. Bellatrix laughed and disappeared slowly into the sky.

"Cowardly bitch! I'll get you Bella. I'll get you!" yelled Sirius at her departing form.

"Was that Bellatrix Lestrange?" panted an Auror coming up to them.

"Yes, it fucking was. Well, what are you waiting for? She flew that way! Incompetents! Dunderheads!", and grabbing Harry, Sirius Apparated to Grimmauld.

X

Grimmauld was a frenzy of activity with Molly Weasley, Ted Tonks ( recently sworn in to the Order by a Sirius bursting with _joie de vivre_ ),and Mrs. Diggory cooking up an absolute feast for dinner. Harry, smelling treacle pudding and banoffee pie wandered into the kitchen hoping to receive some sympathy treats. You can put a thirty eight year old into the body of a fifteen year old, but you can take the fifteen year old out of the thirty eight year old.

He was halfway through a second helping of pudding when the male Diggory's arrived with the Longbottoms, everyone's arms full of food and drink. Remus signaled to Harry and Sirius and between them they slowly moved the two Longbottoms to the library.

Once everyone was seated, Sirius gently placed Hufflepuff's cup on a low desk, and handed Neville a basilisk fan.

"Your family is one that was also ripped apart by Voldemort, Neville. You deserve a little justice, too."

"I-I don't think I can. Harry you do it.", said Neville softly.

"Rubbish. Stab the bloody thing.", berated his grandmother.

"Augusta, why not do it together?", asked Remus.

The old witch pursed her lips and adjusted her hat. She raised up and authoritative hand and clasped Neville's free hand within it. "Begging your pardon, Remus, but I know my grandson doesn't need my help. Now forward, boy." She gave him an encouraging nod and squeezed his hand.

Sweating profusely, Neville approached the desk. Harry placed his hand on the base of the cup, ignoring the strange tick tick ticking that called from inside the cup to the center of his soul. As Neville raised his hand, Harry felt a sudden, odd rush of fear, and as the fang sliced through the cup, Harry almost passed out for the deafening scream that rang through his head.

 _Had it been like this before?_

The cup smashed into little fragments, and a jet of black energy burst out and slammed into the bookshelves.

Sirius, on his knees from the blast, gritted his teeth and cursed.

"Language, Sirius. Now then, what's next?", said Mrs Longbottom, putting a full stop on the little scene.

xx

"Buffoons! Mooncalves! Simpletons!"

It was a few hours later, and a party at Grimmauld was well on the way. Moody, however, was still fuming from Sirius and Harry's recounting of their afternoon exploits.

"Ah now Alastor, forget it, come and have another Firewhisky.", said Mr. Weasley, swaying slightly.

"The Department's gone every which ways since I left. That's right Kingsley, I said it.", growled Moody.

Harry laughed and lounged back in his chair, looking rather rakish with the eye patch now covering his injured eye. He took a scan around the room. The twins, Ginny, Tonks and Ron were having some kind of dance off to the 70's wizarding pop music that Sirius had insisted on playing. Professor McGonagall was deep in conversation with Molly Weasley and Mrs. Longbottom. Neville and Hermione were poring over a book, and Remus and Sirius were laughing in a corner. Others drifted about, dancing, talking and just generally enjoying the moment _._ Harry could not remember such a time in his previous past, and felt somehow happy for Malfoy's spell. The music slowed a little and Tonks drifted over to Remus and pulled him into a dance. Kingsley twirled Emmeline into a dance as well, and Sirius, suddenly misty eyed dashed up to Andromeda.

"May I have this dance Madam Tonks?"

"Of course you may Mr. Black" she said with a funny formal curtsey.

He took her to the middle of the dance floor and the two cousins swept round the room in a perfectly executed waltz. Almost everyone stopped what they were doing to watch them, and clapped prettily when the dance was over.

"I haven't done that in years, thank you Siri."

"The only good thing from my pureblood upbringing, I'm a star on a dance floor. Gets the ladies _and_ the gentlemen.", swaggered Sirius.

Hermione raised her eyebrows at Harry who only smirked. _Remus always did say that Sirius would seduce anything that moved….good looks and money…both men and women at your feet, I suppose._ _No wonder Sirius never seemed keen to settle down. Also, no one else seems surprised by the comment._

Harry's gaze travelled over to the only attendee who wasn't partaking in any activity. But Snape seemed content to nurse his Firewhisky and watch the others at play. And there was much to watch, as the tempo skipped up to a faster beat, and Sirius opened a few more bottles of Ogden's finest. Very soon, it was mostly the younger folk left dancing, with Sirius doing an entirely uncoordinated jig on top of the table. "I'm a dancer, a big dancer, a small dancer, hey nonny nonny! Remus, you feral bastard, I looooove you, my one true friend!", he cried swirling like a dervish.

Soon, however, with some fervently exchanged looks, Remus and Harry carted Sirius off to bed. As they threw the covers over him, he looked directly at Harry and said, simply, "Prongs…I'm free."

When Harry exited the room, he was suddenly engulfed in a wave of bushy hair. "You're right, you're right. I have no memory of Sirius being so happy…we have to change things if we can. But oh Harry….."

"Not today, Hermione. Today is a happy day.", and kissing his friend on her forehead, Harry took himself off to a dreamless sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Sirius Black walked down the street. At lunchtime. In the full open glare of a busy London street. He kept grinning widely at everyone he met. This being London, most people didn't look up to even notice the wild haired grinning man, but, one overtly scrupulous lady did phone the police to report a long-robed, long -haired smiling man. The only reason she could suppose for his happiness was that he was "one of them terrorists, come over here illegal, plotting something."

Constable Chadwick, who responded to the incident saw no one fitting the description, but find that throughout the day, his helmet kept sprouting sunflowers. For the rest of his life, he'd be "Sunny" Chadwick to his colleagues.

In the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, Molly Weasley was asking Sirius if he really felt pranking a policeman was how he wanted to start the first day of his freedom.

"Not quite, I'd rather slay old No-Nose.", said a very non-serious Black as he shovelled vast amounts of egg and sausage into his mouth.

"Idiot", said Remus, coming in with Tonks. "If you're quite done planting vegetation amongst the local constabulary, Tonks is here to take you away for your first proper mission. But, remember, you're still new to this, so don't run before you can walk."

"I love you too Mummy Remus.", said the irrepressible Black as he followed Tonks to the house Apparition point.

Seconds later, he and Tonks found themselves outside a little pub in Inverness. The place was full of a bunch of marathon runners, on their third or fourth celebratory pint.

"Muggles…are so weird.", said Tonks. "Who runs for fun?"

"Lovely Muggle specimens, though."

"You're a dirty old man."

"Your boyfriend was doing his NEWTS when you were in nappies."

Tonks rolled her eyes. "Go buy me a drink. I'll find us a seat."

Sirius laughed and adjusted his appropriately Muggle sweater. He enjoyed a lazy flirt with the bartender and took his time to walk over to where Tonks was seated.

"Right so what are we doing here?"

"Waiting for a Muggle called Arnott. He's married to a witch. She makes potions which he then sells to Dark Wizards. Kind of wizarding drugs. Looks like they supply some of the outer fringes of Voldermort's network. Kingsley thinks it's a good way to get some of the fringe gossip. We really need to know what Malfoy is planning next."

"From fringe gossip?"

"From rumour, okay, here he is."

A tall, curly haired man in jeans and a thick grey jumper slid into their booth. "Where's my money, then?"

"Tell us what you know."

"Money first."

Tonks slid a pile of £20 notes onto the table but kept her hand on it. Sirius casually touched Arnott's knee with his wand.

"Tell us what you know, I'm sure your wife still wants your husbandly services."

Arnott smirked. For a moment, his face glimmered oddly. In a moment, in had become the face of Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Arnott's wife won't be getting any more services. She'll soon be servicing Rodolphus."

"Bella. You bitch."

"You may be out _cousin_ , but I WILL kill you. And then, I will kill you, you little half-blood. Tell your mother I'm waiting for her too. Consider this your final warning."

Readjusting her face, Bellatrix left the pub. And so did the pile of notes.

Xx


End file.
